


December 22, 2019

by theroomstops



Series: Home For Christmas [1]
Category: Bodyguard (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M, Road Trip
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:49:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21906265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theroomstops/pseuds/theroomstops
Summary: Driving home for Christmas, I can't wait to see those faces...________________________A year into their relationship, David and Julia have decided to make the long trip from London to David's hometown for Christmas. Making new memories, creating new traditions and still being very much... them.Part of my "Home For Christmas" collection.
Relationships: David Budd/Julia Montague
Series: Home For Christmas [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2067747
Comments: 12
Kudos: 87
Collections: LavenderBudd Fic Exchange





	December 22, 2019

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fightuntilyoucan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fightuntilyoucan/gifts).



> Part of the LavenderBudd Fic Exchange, for fightuntilyoucan.
> 
> The wishlist I was given asked for ‘fluff, smut and jealous Julia’. And I was asked not to include ‘angst, David/Julia fight’. I’ve tried my best to fulfill those wishes and I hope, really hope, that you enjoy it. Happy Holidays!
> 
> (Thank you to Jamie and to Ally for guiding me through this, and for always being there - usually to listen to me whine.)

_December 22, 2019_

“Are we there yet?” David asks with a mockingly child-like voice, looking at Julia and teasingly observing as she rolls her eyes and focuses forward.

Seeing her behind the wheel of a car is still a bit odd. Even though they’ve spent late hours almost every evening the last few weeks, driving around London to get her used to it all over again. Long hours in the car, discovering new areas of the city and looking at strangers houses as Julia gets used to one aspect of civilian life again.

“Oh God...”

It has been just over two months since Julia chose to resign from the Home Office, and it had been a complicated decision. But in the end, after some careful consideration, their plans for the future combined with jobs that meant they felt like passing ships in the night for long periods, made a change feel like the only thing that could make her happy. The scandal following the highly public reveal of their affair, a government reshuffle and her ex-husband only moving closer to power, not to mention some well-needed therapy, had made what once seemed like Julia’s destiny look a little less... shiny. 

The potential of a family life and the house that came with it, suddenly on equal footing with her long-held dreams of occupying Number 10, only with far less Roger in the equation. And now, her newfound freedom and the upcoming holidays have led them on their first trip all alone. 

“I’m sorry. I’m just so excited not to be in the driver’s seat. We get about an hour away on the train and then the kids start asking. Promise I won’t subject you to the same torture.”

“Thank you.” Julia breathes deep and then exhales slowly as she tries not to stress about the thought of the Christmas traffic piling up in front of them.

They’re headed to Scotland for the Christmas period. David’s idea. 

It was Vicky’s first year with the kids without him, and going away meant he would avoid the stressful hustle and bustle of city life, and Julia could turn down its many party invites without feeling guilty. After some initial hesitation at the thought of being around David’s family for a whole week, Julia embraced his idea fully. It was a time for change, after all, and a good preparation for next year, when they’d be hosting it themselves. Suggesting they take advantage of the time off and drive up instead of going by train or plane. Enticing him with vivid ideas of stopping along the way to admire the view and look at places she’d only heard referenced in school books. Not that David needed much convincing, his last time on a train didn’t go too well.

And then, as a surprise, she’d found them a beautiful Airbnb a little outside the town David grew up in. 

David’s plan included 10 adults cramped in a small house. Julia’s involved a remote cottage with barely a neighbor in sight and stunning views of snow-covered mountaintops. All alone in the Scottish highlands for 6 days and 5 nights. She hadn’t even finished telling him about it before he’d kissed her and muttered a grateful thank you against her mouth.

“Thinking about Ella and Charlie?” He looks at her, a wistful smile on his lips as he nods. “Sad about not spending Christmas with them?”

“I try not to think about it. I know they’re very happy to be with their grandparents.” He shrugs. “All that really matters.”

“It’s alright to be upset over it, even though they’re happy. I’m sure they’d love to know you’re missing them, and I’m certain they miss you. It would make me happy knowing my mother even thought about me at Christmas, and we don’t even like each other.” Finally, David cracks a real smile. Laughing slightly at her honesty, gritting his teeth as he considers what she’s said. “I know I’ve already suggested this once today, but they should have arrived by now, you could ring them.”

“I’m with you, so I’m fine.” He squeezes her thigh gently, then looks out the window.

“You and I are stuck in a car together for at least 6 more hours. And that’s only if we’re lucky, which I think we won’t be by the looks of this.” She gestures to the never-ending line in front of them. “You miss them, please just give them a ring.”

“Julia,” He sighs impatiently. “they’ll want to say hi and you’re not yet used to the driving again.”

“I will keep my eyes on the road and I’ll chime in without looking at them at all. I will be horribly rude to your children, David, I promise. Please?” David relents with a nod and another nearly imperceptible smile, picking up his phone. His beautiful, nervous smile becoming more prominent on his handsome face as he hears his children’s voices. The cars in front begin to move again, and Julia breathes contently as she slowly follows the traffic.

“Is Julia driving?” Charlie, eyeing him suspiciously and jumping off the bed when David turns the phone to show them a glimpse of where they are.

“Aye, look at her huh?” David’s turned the phone to her now (he never does remember to just flip the camera), and she smiles nervously at Charlie. “Still getting used to it, but I think I might just sit in the back seat with you two ragamuffins the next time we go somewhere.”

“Julia,” And there’s Ella, who has fought the phone out of her brother’s hands. “Can I sit in front?”

“We’ll discuss it.” Eyes forward, firmly picking a non-answer so David can make the decision. 

Things she’s picked up while living with one pre-teen and one teenager: Let David be in charge of the big decisions. 

She’s gotten used to making all kinds of little decisions she hadn’t even thought about a few years ago, but the big decisions are still left in his hands. And it works. She’s been accepted into the fold, and since they got over the initial rough patch the first few weeks, it’s gone surprisingly smooth.

“Yes!” Ella gleefully cheers as Charlie chimes in from the back. “I’m taking that as a yes!”

“Daddy, if Ella gets to sit in front, I want to as well.” Charlie seems a little annoyed as his sister falls back onto the bed and laughs in the background.

“We’ll see, Charlie. How’s gran and gramp?” David steers the conversation onto a safer topic. Happily chatting along as they show him the bunk beds and give him a quick tour around the cottage they’ll celebrate Christmas in. Without him. The thought leaves a heavy stamp on his heart, though he feels a little better hearing they miss him too. A lot better seeing the woman next to him in the driver’s seat. 

He hangs up fifteen minutes later, when the traffic has finally cleared and the roads seem wide open again, with a deep, saddened sigh and then looks at Julia in the driver’s seat. 

“Think that was a good idea. They sounded like they missed me too.”

“They sounded like they missed you a lot. You’re their father, David, nothing is going to change that. Maybe when things settle a bit, you and Vicky can find an arrangement that works better for everyone. This year will just be a memory, an exception to the rule.” There is absolutely nothing he’d like more. 

And to be fair, they had tried last year. Made an attempt to celebrate Christmas together, despite the divorce proceedings and despite a bit of tension between them at the time, but frustrations ran too high and eventually they’d ended up on the porch fighting over something silly that didn’t really matter. Not a day he’d like to repeat.

Julia’s heart had broken as he’d arrived that evening, much earlier than expected. His eyes swollen from tears and his mood stubborn. He’d poured his heart out to her, told her he couldn’t go through that again ad then gone back to the little house he used to live in a few days later, sat down with his ex-wife-to-be and made plans for the next year. For this Christmas. Put down something of an agreement, so that no one was left confused and no one felt unfairly treated.

“You’re nice to talk to.” David smiles and rests his head against the headrest.

“Wouldn’t say that out loud yet,” She teases. “we’ve still got more than 5 hours of this to go.”

“Aye, and that...” He holds up one finger, straight, as if to keep her on hold (foolish idea) and he rummages through his rucksack. “is why I brought...” His voice is muffled from bending over, and then he emerges again, with a small notebook and satisfied grin on his face. “A couple’s quiz.”

“David, no. I _hate_ those things.”

“I’ve made it myself. Well, I found the questions on the internet and made a list for us,” _Damn, he is cute._ “but I’ve taken out all the silly ones. Please?” He looks at her pleadingly, knowing she has nowhere to go and her option would be either an argument or 5 hours of Christmas music off the radio. And Julia’s tolerance for Christmas songs is limited to a short list of about five songs.

She only rolls her eyes slightly and doesn’t protest, which he seems to take as his victory at that very moment. “Alright. Question 1, are you ready: What is your partner’s favorite body part?”

“Legs.”

“You think _I_ particularly enjoy the sight of my own legs?” He chuckles, highly amused at the misunderstanding.

“I’m answering for you?” Julia’s eyebrow arches, seemingly surprised. “You said a quiz.” 

“Your answer will be what you think I’d say. It’s a game to see how well you know the person you’re with. That’s how these things work, love. But I don’t have to guess yours then.” His eyes roll playfully and his lips have pursed. He’s enjoying himself, he can’t deny it. He already likened the chance of getting the idea of a quiz through at all about 50/50. “And I agree, your legs are hot.”

“Your eyes.” She says suddenly. “Even _you_ can admit that your eyes are beautiful.”

“I’ll give you the point.” He feels the warmth of joy spread in his chest and leans back in his seat.

“What do I win at the end of this painful experience?” Her hands tighten their grasp on the wheel, looking over at him quickly as she asks him, full of confidence.

“Bit cocky, but I’ll play along. Alright, if you win, I’ll _show_ you which body part of yours I like best.” David smirks suggestively. His whole face filling with a bright, smug smile. Eyes on her as he talks, though unprepared for her response.

“Tits.” She retorts quickly and he snickers.

“What if it’s actually your arse then?” He shoots back, with a teasing lightness in his voice.

“No.” Julia claims firmly. “But maybe if you could tear your eyes away from from my chest when I get out of the shower I wouldn’t be quite so presumptuous.”

“Aye, it is.” He looks over at her longingly, gaze falling to her chest, and then staring at the way she bites her lip when she catches him. So confident, a little cocky. She did know him well. And at that moment, all he can think is he wishes desperately that they weren’t stuck in a car for hours to come.

“Ok. Moving on to...” He hums what must be an old theme song and she merely takes a deep impatient breath, so he moves on quickly to the actual question. “Question number 2: What is your partner’s favorite smell?”

“You go first this time.” She takes a quick sip from her travel mug and he rubs his hands nervously.. He had really hoped she’d go first.

“Your favorite smell... Is it from the bathrooms at that restaurant you like? Where we...” He hints, eyebrows wiggling as the memory of frenzied minutes in a private stall played freshly in his mind. “That time.” A smirk plays on his lips, his hand caressing her thigh. A gentle squeeze as she smiles. “That place you got the thing with those ridiculously expensive sticks in it from?”

“No, though I do love that restaurant, very observant. No, my favorite smell is when you shower at night.” She says it so honestly that an unintended laugh falls from David’s lips. “Do you want to hear my answer or laugh at it.” He mouths his sorry and gestures for her to continue. “You’ll climb into bed, most likely try to get me in the mood...”

“Like I have to try very hard...” He mutters, a smile still plastered on his face.

“Anyway, when we go to sleep... You’ll fall asleep cuddled up to me and I’ll feel very warm and cozy, my nose will probably be in your neck because sometimes you like being the little spoon. I can smell the shampoo and whatever soap you’ve used, but mostly you smell like you. Your hair is still wet and you’ll smell like me a little bit too. That... Falling asleep cuddled up with you like that, that’s my favorite smell.”

“Oi now I really want to kiss you. Wait...” 

“David, you said yourself I’m not...” She begins to protest when he lifts her hand to his lips, pressing his lips to it before placing it carefully back on the wheel.

“That’ll have to do for now. ‘Till later.” Julia sighs, holding onto the steering wheel as David leans forward in an attempt to reach his water bottle.

“What’s the next question?” She asks, sounding a little less annoyed this time. He sits back up and looks at her curiously and a little agog.

“You didn’t answer what mine is yet. You starting to like my quiz, Miss Montague?” One eye closes as he takes her in, a decidedly amused look on his face.

“No. I’d just like to finish it so we can hold an adult conversation the rest of this trip.”

“Fine. _My_ favorite smell, except for the obvious, more x-rated one,” He quickly clears his throat and continues before she can interject with a comment. “is sitting next to a Christmas tree and drinking hot cocoa.” She murmurs appreciatively at his answer, and David, without missing a beat, quickly moves on to his most awaited question on the list. “Next question is ‘favorite sex position’?”

Julia cackles. Catching herself with a quick draw of breath and a quick, perplexed look in his direction. “Is this actually in your quiz or are you just asking now?”

“Julia, _you_ wanted it to be an adult conversation.” He shrugs, hoping he’s sounding less as if he’s secretly been waiting to get to this very question and more mildly interested. He licks his lips, eyes still on her while she keeps looking forward on the road.

“I don’t have one.” David sneers a little, and Julia’s hands grip the steering wheel harder as her head flips to the side before she fixes him with a hard look. “I don’t! It changes, depending on what I’m in the mood for.”

“That’s a lie. Everyone has one they like more.”

“Yes, I’ve noticed _you_ do.” Julia points out, sighing defeatedly before she tries to find a way to say it without sounding... peculiar. David’s gaze remains trained on her, and she softens before she caves. “Fine. It’s not so much _a_ favorite, as… I like it when you get a little rough. I feel so safe with you, that we can play a little. Try new things. It’s nice.”

“Nice?” He asks with a teasing smile.

“Fine, it’s fantastic. Happy?” And he is. Looks absolutely thrilled with her little admission in fact. It’s not that he hasn’t noticed she responds well to his ideas, it’s just rare to hear it said out loud. She leans back a little, hands resting on the wheel as they’ve made it a long stretch of bare roads going straight ahead. 

“David, you spent the last few years before we met being married. You separated eventually, yes, but you had someone for a long time. Someone you liked. I was married to Roger for five years. Getting out of that was like breaking free from some sort of a self-imposed convent. I tried to find myself again, to have a little fun after my divorce. Foolishly. Eventually the newspapers got wind of it, and it was never worth the hassle. They all wanted to sleep with power to start with, and never wanted me to retain that role outside the bedroom. Especially not when it got in their way. They simply liked... the idea of me, almost as if they wanted to keep me in their personal Pandora’s box, to unleash me only when it suited them. It’s not that I mind taking control, you especially know I don’t mind, but these men didn’t know how to get a towel wet, let alone a woman. It became painfully boring. Not worth the trouble. And then this happened, and you knew… what I needed. You still do. And if you don’t know, for whatever reason, you’ll ask.”

“So you’re satisfied then, in that aspect of our relationship?” He smirks in her direction. A teasing smile staying on his lips and she turns briefly, a matching one pulling at the corners of hers.

“Yes, David. Very satisfied.”

“It’s just nice to hear is all.” The smile stays there, not going anywhere, not even when he takes a sip from his water bottle. “I am too, in case you were wondering.” 

“I wasn’t, actually.” Her eyes sparkle as she turns to him, voice lowered. “But I’m glad to note you have no complaints.”

They sit in silence for a bit. Silence doesn’t seem to bother either of them. David gazing out the window at his left side as Julia listens to the radio. The weather forecast and traffic updates finally beginning to go her way, unlike when they’d started that morning. And even though it’s followed up by a Christmas song, she can’t help but tap her fingers on the wheel as she moves along to the soft tones in her seat.

_And it's been so long  
But I will be there  
I sing this song  
To pass the time away  
Driving in my car  
Driving home for Christmas_

_It's gonna take some time  
But I'll get there_

She’s about two seconds away from embarrassingly singing along when David turns down the volume and turns in his seat. He pauses another few seconds, taking a deep, nervous breath before he starts talking.

“Just because I had someone then doesn’t mean... When you and I met, we both needed what we gave each other then.” He turns forward again, eyes cast down as he picks at a loose thread in his dark blue jeans. “I know we’ve talked about that time a lot already. At least the more emotional parts of how we felt then. But I don’t think I’ve ever told you some of the other things.”

She’s waited for this. Resisted wanting to push or prod or disturb how wonderfully he was doing in his therapy sessions. He’s been slowly moving forward, learning how to open up and trust in her, but it every step ahead still needs to be on his terms.

“No, you haven’t. I haven’t wanted to push. It was your marriage, and it has nothing to do with me, so I haven’t asked. It’s not because I don’t want to hear it. Do you feel ready to tell me?”

His hands scratch at his jeans again... fumbling a little in his lap as he looks out the window in front of him, then casts his eyes to his lap again, watching his hands as they finally still.

“I thought I was one sort of a person, and I wasn’t. Not anymore. Especially when it comes to that. Sex. Vicky liked it sweet. Which was nice. Sweet and romantic – it can be very nice.”

Julia thinks to herself that it can be. Sometimes they’d spend hours talking over a romantic dinner before either of them even made a move towards their bedroom. Romantic could be good. Sweet. She’s not opposed to taking it slow at all. Slow was how their love affair started. A desperate need for closeness more than animalistic urges to release. Though she also knows she’d find herself missing something if that was all it was.

“When we got married, I thought I was that person too. Maybe I was... that person. I don’t know.” David clears his voice, drinking a bit of his water before he continues. “We were in love, and it was the first time I’d ever been. I thought I’d won the lottery then. It was just like what I’d grown up with, what I’d admired all those years with my parents. And even after a few years, it was still fine. Normal, you know? Didn’t have any complaints at the time. You probably had that with Roger in the beginning.”

“Nothing with Roger was ever normal.” Julia says blankly.

_He makes a mental note to ask her what that meant later._

“This was. Very, very normal, I thought. It wasn’t the most exciting thing, but we did alright. We had kids, we worked hard. When I was deployed, we didn’t see each other a lot for long periods of time. And when I was home, we were tired a lot of the time. All things considered, I thought it was fine. I didn’t know it could be any different.” He’s being far more forthcoming than she’d dared hoped. Therapy has been a process, and not one he’s always liked. There have been times it’s made him shut down further about the demons he’s fighting. 

As long as they were in that hotel room where it started, they never talked about his wife. His children, yes, occasionally. But Vicky had seemed off limits somehow. At the time, Julia hadn’t thought much off it. Later, in her darkest moments, when it took more than a week before he came to see her, after the bombing, she’d wondered if it meant she was just a replacement. A warm body. 

Of course there were reasons he’d kept away. He was in countless briefings and interrogations and then a stand-off with the police in a bomb vest in London city centre. She’d taken it as a good sign when he said he intended to finally file for divorce, and eventually they’d found their way out of the maze that was Luke Aikens’ conspiracy hand in hand. She can see now that it was far more complex than she’d understood before. Their affair had been intense and driven by lust and need, not rationale. She hadn’t applied much logic to it at all until she’d sat on the floor, bruised and hurt, separated by a massive wooden door. They’d emerged victorious, and then tried to keep their sanity in the media circus that followed.

“When I got home after Helmand, I’d changed and she’d changed too. I came back here, angry and hurt, and I was a little rough. She didn’t like it. She said it was too aggressive. That she no longer recognized me.” Pained eyes turn away, and he takes a long breath before he turns towards her again.

“Aggressive can be fun. Under the right circumstances. But I’m guessing for her, they weren’t.”

“No. She missed her old husband, and I don’t blame her for that, but I couldn’t be that person anymore. The war had… shifted something on the inside. Vicky fell in love with a boy, and she wasn’t prepared for the man that came back. I don’t know if she could be expected to be, but I felt rejected, and so did she.” His voice trails off a bit. Taking a new, deep breath. Shutting his eyes and stroking her free hand absentmindedly. He turns it over in his own, trailing his index finger the lines along her palm until he feels ready to continue. 

“Having sex with someone else, with you, was... it felt like an addiction. First time I did something by instinct again, not out of fear. Like I was releasing all this suffering I’d held inside for a long time.” David sighs. “But I still thought it would pass, that I just needed to get it out of my system. All the girlfriends I’d had before Vicky, I just got tired of it eventually. It’d be fun at first and then... So I assumed I was still the guy who—”

“Wanted nice and romantic?” Julia asks lightly.

“Mhm. But I’m not.” He shakes his head and looks at her. “And I’m still addicted to you.”

“Good. I’m glad.” She smiles confidently, biting her lip just as he does the same.

“I couldn’t stop myself with you. It was frustrating. I’m not even talking about the conspiracy or the attempted murder or the almost dying... I just...” He releases a hard breath. “I wanted to hate you and I couldn’t.” 

Their car comes to a slow halt, pausing at a stoplight that only allows one lane of cars to pass at a time. He takes the opportunity to lean over the centre console, kissing her until he’s almost out of breath. Nibbling on her lips until she pulls away, flushed. She runs her fingers through his hair and giggles lightly as he slides back into his own seat. 

_He loves traffic lights._

“Couldn’t hate you, couldn’t stop going to your room… Could not stop thinking about your legs wrapped around me when I shouldn’t.”

“It was fun, wasn't it? Outside of the obvious breach of ethics and the... consequential changing of jobs, I mean?” She’s referring to his demotion. Julia’s punishment had come in the form of endless newspaper covers and colleagues mocking her in the halls of Westminster. David’s was an immediate cessation of his position. Not to mention the thorough investigation into her conduct, and his.

“Aye. Worth every second of those six months of desk duty.” Oh God, David hated desk duty. He would have rather had ten root canals. He’s much happier these days, on secondment in the MIT. He’s still not sure if he’s back in their good graces yet, not sure he’s lived up to his potential there, but he feels more useful and comes home happier. “I’m grateful for everything that led us here. We could have missed out on this, and that sounds unthinkable now.”

“Mmm, I’d probably be spending Christmas Eve at some horrid party, surrounded by never ending trays of champagne and little hors d'oeuvres.”

“Aye, it sounds _horrible_.” He mocks her.

“I realize what that sounds like, but parties like that appear far more interesting than they are. You go home alone, because God knows there’s no one there you actually want to go to bed with. Particularly because everyone there is usually too drunk to carry any sort of enjoyable conversation. It doesn’t give me anything.” She puts her hand over his, and squeezes it tightly. Eyes staying firmly on the road, though he can see a soft smile. “Not like you do.”

“I love you, too.” He feels soft on the inside. Warm and calm and he strokes her thumb with his before she moves it away and plays both hands on the wheel, comfortably in the 10-2 position. “Alright, how about another question?”

“David...” Her objection drags.

“I’ll just ask myself these questions from now on. See if I might know you better than you do.” To his credit, he doesn’t really sound upset at all. He almost sounds a little excited, actually. His head in the notebook, his phone used as a flashlight so he can read his list of questions. “If your partner weren’t doing what they are now, what would they be doing? I mean, you’d probably be taking those bastards down in courts instead of a meeting room.”

“That’s... scarily accurate actually.” Julia’s eyes flick off to the side, her head turned to him a little longer than he feels comfortable with, and he points back to the road as he looks back down at his notes.

“What’s something your partner wants people to remember about them? I think,” He pauses a bit. “you’d want to be remembered for doing the right thing. Even when it’s pissed people off.” Julia looks at him proudly as the answer easily rolls off his tongue. And then he adds, quickly and under his breath. “Which it does quite often.”

“Mhm.” Julia nods in agreement.

“If your partner could be anywhere in the world, where would they be?” David chuckles and adds sarcastically. “Definitely not in Cheltenham.”

“Definitely not.” Julia scoffs, and David knows exactly why. Because before he’d even brought up celebrating the holidays with his family in Scotland, and though he couldn’t imagine her ever wanting to, he’d carefully asked if she was sure she didn’t want to celebrate Christmas with her mother.

_Absolutely not, David. I’d rather set myself on fire._

“I don’t think you’d even know the answer to that. You don’t even take holidays.” He looks down at his notebook again, fiddling to the next page when she cuts in.

“No, I do know, actually. Not that I’d mind sitting on a warm beach at some point in my life, but I think ideally, the place I dream of most is our house.” David looks at her, surprised. He’d been thinking of it merely in terms of exotic locations. Holiday locations. A word not very synonymous with Julia Montague as he knew her.

“After we’ve renovated, so it looks how we want it, and there’s nothing to fix. I have my own study with a reading nook and a desk, you have a gym, the children would have their own rooms... We have a garden that gets horribly neglected because we’re too busy to remember to trim it. That’s where I’d want to be. Ideally. If we can ever find one.” They’ve been looking for four months. Only four months, but still, four long months. In fact, lately, their hunt for the perfect house has been their only source of arguments. Mainly about his stubbornness and her privilege. The different expectations they have for the building they plan to make a life in.

They’ve settled on a plan now, and written down a list of absolute requirements. Non-negotiable. Another one of the things they want, but don’t need. And one silly one. Full of pipe dreams that they might one day be able to make come true, should the right house with the perfect amount of potential show up in front of them.

“What would your partner do if they had an entire day to themselves? Sleep. Which is what you’ve done since you left the Home Office.” He’s not wrong. She’s caught up on much needed rest since her leave, found a decent therapist and rediscovered the joy in being able to walk outside her own front door without alerting what feels like the entirety of the London Metropolitan Police.

“Alright, I have a quick fire round special...” Julia groans, and David ignores it as he leans forward excitedly.

_\- Dogs or cats?  
Pfft, dogs I suppose, if you had to choose one. _

_\- Coke and Pepsi?  
Who writes this shite? You don’t really take either. _

_\- Sweet or savory?  
Doesn’t matter, as long as it comes with wine. _

_\- Flat or house?  
Well, guess we know the answer to that question. _

_\- Married or common law?  
Well, you hate marriage._

“Incorrect.” Julia interrupts his quick fire round just as he’s about to ask ‘top or bottom’. 

“What?” His head turns quickly, eyes searching for hers.

“I hated being married to Roger, but I’ve never said I hate marriage. I don’t. It’s a lovely idea. It’s a bad constitution to be in if you’re stuck in it with Roger, and I’m sure he’d say the same about me.” She says bluntly, and then adds quietly. “Though I’m not the one that got caught with my hands down the wrong pair of pants.”

“Is this a hint? Are you hinting? You want to get married again?” His eyes narrow suspiciously and he’s teasing her mostly, though he can’t deny it’s made his heart beat quite a bit faster.

“I made a correction to your fatuous quiz thing.”

“I think you secretly like my quiz.” He waves his notebook in front of him

“Nope.” She adds swiftly, though underneath her stoic facade, he can see an almost imperceptible smile and it fills his heart.

“Yes, you do. You think I’m very cute for going to the trouble of making us a quiz for our first road trip together.” Her mouth opens and closes again, and David smiles knowingly. “I know because you’ve not threatened to withhold sex once, which is the first thing you do when you’re actually wound up. So in conclusion, barrister Montague... you like it.”

“Just eat your crisps, David.” 

A grin tugs on her lips, another pulls on his. It goes all the way to the sides of his face as he settles cockily into his seat with a victorious smile and generously hands her a single crisp. Which she takes. It crumbles noisily in her mouth before she holds her hand out for another. Shaking her hand when she wordlessly urges him to place more there as they slowly make their way up north.

____________________

“Love, we’ve made it. Julia?” He gently shakes her awake, looking at her lovingly as her eyes finally open. “Good nap, yeah?”

Julia’s bones crack as she shifts against the passenger seat. She yawns, stretching her arms and legs as far as she’s able to in a cramped seat, leaning against the back of it and looking at him with a sleepy smile. Eyes feeling heavy and still half-asleep. He’s stopped the car, and they’re engulfed by darkness save for the headlights that shine onto a small house in front of them.

David leans over, pushing a stray bit of hair away from her eyes as he leaves a loving kiss on her forehead.

_“Julia, let me take over.” He’s watched her yawning for 30 minutes now, though she’s fighting hard to suppress it from showing._

_“I’m fine, David.” She straightens up in her seat, focusing harder on the dark road in front of her. “Only an hour or so left to go.”_

_“Aye, and I’d quite like to make it there in one piece. Pull over, please.” His voice sounds firm, as if he’s speaking to one of his children. “Should be a service station coming up in a minute.”_

_“Thank you.” She sighs gratefully. Pulling into the services not even a full minute later, switching seats with him and quickly falling asleep with her hand absently rubbing his thigh._

“Everything alright?” Her voice is a little croaky from the sleep, and she clears her throat as she tries to get a proper glimpse of the surroundings outside the car. David nods, smiling tiredly back at her as they open both doors and feel the cold Scottish wind burn at their bones.

“You can’t really see very well, but there’ll be a cracking view that way tomorrow morning.” He points to the back of the little house.

David opens the trunk and begins to unload bags and coats as Julia follows the direction of the email they’ve received from the host and searches for the key. David chuckles when he finally hears her _‘Ah!’_ and sees the lights begin to turn on inside the cottage. Compared to the outside, the inside is warm and toasty, and he leaves their bags in the hall, turning on his heel to collect the rest. 

They’ve brought far too much stuff. Or rather, he has.

“This is lovely.” Julia sighs as she moves around the cottage, looking out the windows and walking around the kitchen. “Even better than the website suggested.”

“Aye, welcome to Scotland. Would have barely gotten a parking spot in London for what we paid for this.” He winks, and smiles sheepishly at the sound of his own national pride. 

She’s been to Scotland before, but not like this. Days in hotel rooms where she barely knows which city she’s in, doesn’t compare to the holiday he’s got planned for them now. David throws the bags he doesn’t want her to see yet into the second bedroom while Julia continues to explore.

It’s tasteful. Simple, modern and yet clearly full of the nature that surrounds it. Refurbished old floorings and plants that hang from the ceiling mixing beautifully with a plain framed bed and classic white bed sheets. She can still feel the tiredness from before in her eyes, and longs to jump into the plush white bed. She turns around and her eyes land upon a walk-in open-plan bathroom with heated floors that warm her cold toes the second she steps onto them. And then, then she sees the best part.

“David! There’s a bathtub!” She almost regrets choosing to spend New Years Eve back in London. She could instantly picture them toasting the new year while looking out at the stars and fireworks from the large window overlooking the massive tub.

David’s heard her from the hallway, rolling his eyes a bit as he stuffs coats and shoes into the small closet space behind the front door. 

“You have a tub at home, love.” He chuckles a little at the sound of her joy, curious to know if she’d even looked through the photos of the place before he’d booked it. 

“Not one we can both fit in… Comfortably.” And that’s the moment it grabs his attention. He perks up, leaving the suitcase on the floor as he joins her in the main bedroom. She turns when he enters, smiling seductively before she shifts her attention back to the bathroom again. “I see that’s got your attention.”

“Really?” He wraps his arms around her, lips ghosting down the long, perfect line of her neck as she squirms in his arms. “I’d love to have a bath.” It is a lovely bathroom, though far more modern than he’d normally choose. The tub more than makes up for it though. It’s probably big enough to fit an entire family of five in there. 

“I thought you hated baths.” 

“Not if you’re in it.” He presses his lips to her neck, breathing in the faintly lingering scent of her perfume and shampoo, enjoying the warmth coming off the tiles that spreads from his toes to the rest of his body.

“You bring the suitcases in and I’ll get everything ready.” She pauses hesitantly, well aware that it’s an unfair deal. But she’s tired, and he’s well aware.

“Good negotiating.” 

He places another kiss in her hair before he goes to empty the car of all their things, catching glimpses of her humming the same song she listened to on the radio earlier as she moves around the bedroom. He can hear the faint sound of the water running too. He’s rather impressed that not even ten minutes later he’s checked all the doors, just as if he was back on PPO duty, poured two glasses of sparkling water and placed a tray of M&S snacks next to the bath. And he’s loathe to admit, despite his aversion to baths normally, that in front of him is a beautiful tub with an even better view.

He watches her as she relaxes against the back slope of the tub, the bubbles spreading along the water. There’s a distinct smell of Christmas from the candle she’s lit in the room, and the bubbles smell of honey and vanilla, and he quickly undresses in front of two curious eyes following him around as moves about. Biting her lip, sitting forward slightly to let him slip in behind her. Her wet hair falls on his chest, tickling him a little as she makes herself comfortable against him.

He feels an overwhelming feeling of love for her in that moment. Full of calm and peace. Full of wonder and anticipation. 

He’s in a place he’s never been, and he’s never felt more at home.

He misses his children in ways he didn’t expect when he’d agreed to let them spend Christmas with their mother, but he’s infinitely grateful for this moment too. It’s the first Christmas in many years he doesn’t feel panicked, and he thinks that might be the greatest Christmas present of all.

“This is nice.” He whispers quietly as she lays against him.

“I‘ve told you they are. And that I think having a bath once in a while would actually help you relax a bit.” Her voice is soft, little sighs emitting as quiet rumbles in her throat as she draws circles in the water with her finger.

“They just seem so wasteful.” He shrugs. David Budd is a shower person, always has been. Though he’s never been happier to be in a bath than right now. The last time he had one was by accident, courtesy of a wild four-year old. And he can say without a doubt, that he much prefers naked baths. 

“Not if you have them once a month.” Julia points out before being quick to add a hint to end their discussion. “Should we really discuss environmental politics while we’re naked and soaking in this beautiful tub?”

“No, you’re right.” He whispers. “We’ll do that on the drive back.” David adds slyly, prompting a laugh that makes her body vibrate against his. 

Her hand finds his atop the edge, gently scraping her nails against his arm before she pulls it around her. Entwining his fingers with her own as it rests over her stomach. Her chest rises and falls slower, giving over to the heated sensations of the water and welcoming the tiredness.

David sneaks another chip from the bag on the side, crunching it slowly so he doesn’t disturb her peacefulness. Her head falls to the side, and he can feel her warm breaths against his skin.

“I’m very proud of you. You drove almost double how far I thought you would get before you’d get tired.” He sighs, indeed full of pride, when she pinches his arm a little too hard to be teasing. “Oi! I’m not being sarcastic, driving long distance is very hard, Julia. More so when you’re not used to it. We’ve just been going around the same neighborhoods for weeks.”

“If your Mum has time, perhaps we could drive her around a few places, just close by. I’d love to see where she grew up.” Her head falls back again, looking up him with beautiful, sparkling eyes. He kisses the corner of her mouth, nibbling on her earlobe as her smile is colored by a hint of wickedness. “And the village where you were conceived.”

“Geesh, she’s told you about that? Blether.” David groans and Julia nods slowly, biting her lip to keep from spilling into a full, mischievous grin. “Always what someone wants to do... show off where they were created.”

“She’s so proud of it, it’s quite sweet. And I personally believe,” David groans again, to Julia’s amusement. Lips curling as she continues. “your parents deserve a medal for choosing that exact night to find themselves bored of card games and just drunk enough to have one careless round.” She leaves a long, lazy kiss on his lips and whispers against his mouth. “Thank you weather gods. And cheap whiskey.”

“God…” He buries his face in her neck, and she swats gently at his hand.

“No, really. I’m eternally grateful your parents chose to forget about condoms for one night and found themselves sort of stuck with their little surprise.” Julia sighs. “I probably wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t. And I most certainly wouldn’t be so happy. Your existence is win for us all, David Budd.”

“My biggest fan. I’ll get you a little hat.” He whispers against her cheek with a smile. Nuzzling her neck as the bubbles tickle his nose.

“Of course.” She says, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Turning her head, hazel eyes shining in the soft candlelight. “Always.”

She has been ever since they met. Well, save a few weeks at the start. Cheering him up when he’s taking slow steps forward and holding him, picking him up when he falls. One year together has felt like a lifetime for all they’ve been through, and yet there’s so much left to experience, it feels they’ve barely begun. Barely had any time at all. So many plans, so many dreams yet to realize.

Their glasses stands to the side of the tub, water sparkling and ice chips melting as the hot water slowly picks apart stress and tensions within tight, sore muscles. His hands have long since begun to turn prune-like, and so have hers. Yes, quite a pair of odd looking things they are, as he studies their hands before kissing her fingers. The bubbles around them move slowly in tiny wavy patterns as their bodies draw closer, and four long legs tangle at the end of the large, modern tub.

The snow falls softly outside the window onto wild Scottish highlands. Each unique flake creating a small layer on top of each other. Little things, little moments, one after another, creating a blanket of cold protection for the budding soil waiting beneath. 

It looks magical from the inside, as they doze gently. David against cold porcelain, Julia against a warm chest, until the water grows too cold and their day comes to an early end. Crawling under the warm, fluffy duvet cover, looking out at the dark sky before their eyes close to a deep, much needed slumber.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted many, many things for this fic, and I've let myself down a bit. I'm posting this chapter now, and I had originally planned to post each chapter on the date it happens within the story. However, I've been struggling quite badly mentally the past few weeks and I'm simply having to prioritize my health for a bit right now. It's been a struggle to write, my brain just doesn't seem to know words very well these days. So I promise, it's on its way, the chapters have either been almost completed or at the very least started/halfway written, but I won't be able to post it on the date I originally intended. I'm so sorry. 
> 
> I hope you might still enjoy it for what it is, and I hope that everyone enjoys some time off and time spent with loved ones for the holiday season.


End file.
